Orbiting high above the earth in his Salyut space station, Captain Kosmos blogs about science fiction films, books, TV, his Kosmosflot science fiction universe, and growing up in Indiana during the 1960s.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

A Trick or Treat Goody: Godzilla Attacks Russia

Here's a Halloween treat, the Austin Wind Symphony playing a medley from the soundtrack of King Kong vs. Godzilla. Yes, Captain Kosmos is a fan of the Big G, but also a fan of the late Akira Ifukube, the great Japanese composer who scored so many of Japan's classic films, including Toho Studio's kaiju giant-monster movies. King Kong vs. Godzilla had most of its original soundtrack replaced by stock Universal Studios' horror-film music when it was exported to the West, so it was a special choice by the concert organizers to showcase this particular Godzilla movie.

Godzilla's appearance gradually changed from one movie to another, but this one is one of my favorites: a huge, bulky rock-iguana style head and humongous, powerful, almost-Sumo-like legs.

Not many Americans may notice, but Godzilla's first battle in the film occurs on Russian soil! The army base he attacks is on Sakhalin Island, just north of Japan, and, unfortunately for the Red Army, he's not in a good mood after being buried in ice for seven years, after the events of Godzilla Raids Again, a.k.a. Gigantis the Fire Monster. His radioactive breath, crushing feet, and swinging tail make short work of the Stalin tanks sent out against him. If you watch the film, look closely and you can see red stars on the tanks as they roll out from the base to fight Godzilla.

So, enjoy this giant monster treat from the Austin Wind Symphony. I only wish they would play my favorite Toho science-fiction film soundtrack sometime in the future: The Mysterians.